Antlers, Paws, and Claws
by izzy6
Summary: How does one become an animagi? This explains how four students found the answer to that question, all to save one of their number. Please R&R, its my first story. :)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor do I hold any claim to said literature character.   
  
Antlers, Paws, and Claws  
  
'There goes Lily... its strange how we are perceived to be close by the throng, but in reality...' Sighing, James played around with his Shepherd's pie.  
"What's the problem Jimbo?" Sirius' voice was barely audible, for his mouth was stuffed to bursting with the food.  
"Don't call me that... And there's nothing wrong with me, Sirius." Said James, waving his fork about, sending bits of food flying.  
"Right... Hey Arthur! Are you coming to the dueling club meeting this evening?" called Sirius to the man walking past the Gryffindor table on the way to the High Table.   
Arthur Weasley, the tall and lanky intern from the ministry smiled and said,  
"Mr. Black! I wouldn't miss it for the world! Are you sure that I'll be welcome?"  
"Take a seat, Mr. Weasley. It wouldn't do well if you lost your voice on account of a couple of sixth years..." James offered, giving Arthur a heartwarming smile and edging over.  
"Thank you James. So, will you be joining us tonight?" inquired Arthur, taking a seat opposite Sirius, next to James.  
"He can't, Arthur... Quidditch practice. Why he wastes his time flying around a dank field, is beyond me... I mean, flying's all well and good, but it does get boring after a while. And what are you going to do when you get out of here? Fly about on a broomstick for the rest of your days?" Sirius scoffed.   
"I just might!" James said indignantly, defending his love of the sport.  
"Oh dear, Mr. Black. We'll have another Ludo Bagman on our hands!"  
"Arthur, call me Sirius. And James is nothing like Bagman. He isn't stupid, for one thing. And he's too special to go gallivanting around with the likes of Bagman, either."  
" Is that an out and out admission that you don't want me to play for England?"  
"No. I'm admitting that Bagman's a git."  
  
This remark ensued chuckles all around. Glancing up and down the Great Hall, Sirius searched for Remus Lupin.  
"Remus' in the library once more!" exclaimed Sirius, throwing up his hands to the sky in mock surrender. "That man has no life whatsoever!"  
"I'm sure the same can be said about you!" snorted Arthur.  
"Oh, Touché Arthur!" said Sirius, grasping his heart, or where he supposed his heart was.  
" So sorry, it was just too tempting. Sirius, you understand, don't you?"  
" Absolutely! No hard feelings, man." he smiled.  
"Hallo all! Having fun? I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting. My name is Remus Lupin." said Remus, extending his hand out to Arthur.  
Surprised by the formality Arthur stammered out his name, shook Remus' hand uncertainly and gave Sirius a quizzical look.  
"Yes, yes, we know. Our Remus is quite an enigma. Too damn stuffy, like he's got a wand up his ass!" Sirius chortled, clapping Remus on the back.  
"If you must know Sirius, I was just researching..." Remus faltered and paled noticeably.  
"Look, Remus. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. We understand." said James, comfortingly.  
"I highly doubt that." retorted Remus, giving off a nervous laugh. Sitting down next to Sirius, his shepherds pie appeared in front of him and he began to pick at it.  
"Dammit James quit all your Mr. Sensitivity crap! You're making me look bad!"  
Another round of laughter ensued and the mood lightened considerably.  
"We were just discussing what we wanted to be when we grew up, Remus. I believe it's your turn."  
"Me? Hmm, well I suppose I'd like to be important. I haven't really thought about it yet."  
"Fascinating... What about you, Arthur?"  
"Well, I've always had this interest in muggles. It's a wonder how they've managed to get along without magic! I suppose I'd like to be Head of the Muggle Relations office in the Ministry."  
"You all pale in comparison to my job, especially James. Quidditch player, indeed. My job is going to be exciting! I'm going to be an Auror! No telling what sort of evil we'll have in the future."  
"Ah, it's nice to see idealism at its best. Whoever said that youth was wasted on the young has obviously never met you four!" came a voice from behind Sirius and Remus.  
"Good afternoon, Professor Dumbledore, said James and Arthur in unison.   
"Arthur, is that you? Well of course it is who could ever mistake that hair? Are you the intern from the ministry that they sent to watch over me?"  
"Right in one, Sir. I'm here for a whole term, then I must report to Fudge as to whether you should be put out to pasture." Said Arthur with a mischievous grin, which bespoke the obvious fact that even if Dumbledore walked around in his birthday suit at night in the corridors, Arthur would still turn in a sparkling report.  
"Must be on my best behaviour then... Well, I'll be off. Arthur, my office is by the gargoyle. If you need to find me, the password is "Lollipop". It's a muggle sweet that I find quite ingenious." Tipping his invisible hat to them all, Dumbledore swooshed away. The noise made by his cloaks always made James, Sirius, and Remus feel safe. Like Dumbledore was rushing to protect them all.  
Getting up from the table, Arthur nodded to all three of the boys and said,  
"It may seem like he's allowing me to have a runabout of the castle, but he really wants me up in his office right away. Notice how he took off in the direction of the gargoyle! See you tonight, then Sirius. Remus, you should come along too, it'll be fun." Picking up a breadstick, Arthur hurried after Dumbledore.  
"What about it, Remus? Fancy dueling tonight?" Sirius taunted, brandishing his wand.  
Smirking, Remus said, "I'd love to! But, I have my monthly meeting with Dumbledore... I'll see if I can catch up though."  
"This is our first month of school! It's physically impossible that Dumbledore has set up monthly meetings for you so soon in the year."  
"Well, he has. Come on, you two. We're late for Herbology with the Slytherin's..."  
"Great..." James moaned. "Sirius, lets ditch. I have no stomach to see a whole class of Slytherins. Especially Snape."  
"Snape! That grease ball... You know what he said about you? He said you just got onto the quidditch team because Dumbledore liked you! Of all the tosh... He's just jealous because he's been turned down four times in a row, and our captain Matthew Rogers asked you to join just as soon as he saw you fly at tryouts. Well, I'm perfectly amenable to ditching. Cover for us, won't you Remus?"  
"Looks like I'll have to... See you in a bit then.' Remus picked up his books and made his way to the greenhouses on the grounds.  
  
***  
  
Racing to the Gryffindor common room, the two boys collapsed outside the portal, panting and sweating.  
"Beat ya..." James managed to say, in between labored breaths.  
"Liar..." was all Sirius could say in his defense.  
Saying the password, (Caput Draconis) James and Sirius plopped down on the winged Armchairs in front of the fireplace. After a few tired moments, James noticed something flicker in the corner of his eye. Dropping to all fours, he crawled towards the west wall of the common room and examined it carefully.  
"What in the world do you think you're doing?" asked Sirius breathlessly. He was still quite winded from the race, for he wasn't a great athlete like James.  
"I saw something... I want to find out what it is. It could be dangerous."  
"Wicked!" uttered Sirius, joining James on the floor.  
James started knocking on the wall and on the bookcase and the floor, looking for a trigger or a passageway.  
"Nothing! It's rock solid!"  
"I beg to differ, Jimbo." Sirius said, triumphantly. He had happened upon a trapdoor when he fell to his knees. Diving in headfirst, he exclaimed with excitement,  
"Jimbo, get down here! Its bloody brilliant!"  
"Don't call me that!" yelled James as he followed Sirius in.  
Landing ungraciously on his head, James felt dazed for a heartbeat. Snapping out of it, he gazed around him, taking in his surroundings. A dazzled look flit across his face, and a gasp escaped his lips. He was in a real live pirate's cave, or so he thought.  
"Dammit James, stop admiring the view and come over here! It's really important this time!" pleaded Sirius, his voice breaking with excitement.   
"What? What? What?"   
Sirius appeared to be holding onto a piece of parchment and staring at it intently. It was a map of the entire grounds of Hogwarts! Sirius whispered, " this is some fancy shit."  
"Hold it out! There seem to be lots of little dots conglomerating on it!"  
"Look closely, it tells us the location of every single person in Hogwarts!"  
Pointing and sniggering at all the girls in the bathroom, Sirius was ecstatic about his find. James however, was insisting on being practical about it.   
"Think of all its uses! Food from the kitchens, passages into Hogsmeade, look, there's even a trail that leads directly under the whomping willow to the old condemned house in Hogsmeade! Just think of all the things we could do when we need to ditch Slytherin classes! This is the find of the century!" James went on like this until Sirius put up a hand to silence him. Even then, James went on babbling.  
Climbing out of the cave, they both sat down to collect their thoughts. James was still babbling when Remus came back from Herbology.  
"What did you do to him? The Confucius charm again?" Sticking his ear close to James, Remus remarked, "No, he's not speaking in Chinese or in proverbs... What fell on him?"  
Pulling the map out of his pocket Sirius said, "This."  
Pushing his glasses out of the way and running his fingers through his hair, Remus stared incredulously at the piece of parchment he held aloft.  
"Wh-where did you get this, Sirius?"  
Stomping on the trapdoor, Sirius pointed down. Since actions speak louder than words, Remus very nearly yelled, "How? How'd you find this beautiful map? Think of all the food we could get!"  
"I know!" Sirius laughed. "James already elaborated. That boy's marvelous! So many uses for one little map... I tell you, I'm amazed..."  
Rolling the map up carefully and putting it in Sirius' robe, Remus turned around slowly, walking towards the common room portal. Then, spinning around, Remus stuttered, then plopped down onto the floor, rocking back and forth.  
Snapping out of his trance, James immediately ran to Remus' side and shook him.  
"Remus? Remus, what's wrong?"  
"Promise not to tell?" He asked, sounding like a six-year-old, rather than the sixteen-year-old he really was.  
"We promise, just tell us what happened." comforted Sirius, as he joined the both of them on the floor.  
"Once I've told you, I'll leave you alone. I promise I'll never speak to the both of you again..." He whimpered, shivering.  
"Then we'd rather you not tell us, if those are the consequences." said James kindly.  
"We could make the whole friendship deal work though. Even if you chose to ignore us, we'd bother the living daylights out of you so you'd talk to us and help us out like you do now." reflected Sirius.  
"I risk losing my best friends if I tell though!" The whole common room echoed with his sobs.  
Breaking free from his friends' grasp, Remus ran out of the common room and into the corridor. Left flabbergasted on the floor, James got up to go after Remus.  
"James, leave well enough alone. He'll tell us in due time."  
"He's too scared that we'll get hurt in the process! He won't tell us, even we held him at wandpoint!"  
Getting up off the floor, Sirius dusted himself off and said  
"Well he wouldn't tell you. You're a horrible dueler. But I promise you; he'll tell us. He's already going crazy because he can't. He'll crack soon."  
  
***  
But Sirius was wrong... Remus didn't crack as soon as they expected. Halloween fast approaching, and still, not a word. Remus had stopped talking to them as freely as he used to, and went right to sleep at night, leaving no room for pillow chat (A/n: for lack of a better expression).   
Deciding that something needed to be done Sirius and James enlisted the help of Peter Pettigrew, the gopher of the sixth years. Unable to believe his luck, Peter eagerly signed onto the cause. The fact that he was hanging around with Potter and Black made him popular by association.  
At the Halloween feast, their plan was to come into play. Peter lured Remus to the third floor corridor and put the body binder curse on him. Jumping out of their hiding places, James and Sirius fed Veritaserum to Remus (a/n: the ingredients of the potion were easier to come by in those days). Undoing the curse, the three sat on their haunches, waiting for Remus to tell his story. He remained mute, his eyes doing a very good impression of a calf about to be slaughtered. James asked carefully, "What won't you tell us of your own will, Remus?"  
"I won't tell you that I'm a werewolf. I won't tell you that those monthly meetings with Dumbledore are when the full moon comes out and I'm brought under the whomping willow to the old abandoned shack where I transform. I won't tell you that I bite the furniture, myself, or anything that moves. I won't tell you that I hunger for human flesh once every month. I won't tell you that the full moon is out tonight and I must leave in twenty minutes, or every student in this school may be slaughtered, Gryffindors and Slytherins alike." Letting the last remark sink in, Remus sat back and gaped at them all. The small dose of Veritaserum was wearing off and he was regaining his senses. Breaking loose, he ambled towards a tapestry, said a password, and disappeared down a long passageway, which led to the Whomping Willow.  
Once again, Sirius was the voice of reason as he held Peter and James back.  
"Pettigrew, James. We can't be around him. We're humans. We'd die. There's only one solution."  
"I will not lose my friend just because of a disorder!" cried James.  
"Whoever said anything about losing Remus? We're to become Animagi. Animals pose no threat to werewolves."  
"He said he'd attack anything that moves! Besides, even if we could pull it off, we'd have to become large animals to keep him in check!"  
"He's inexperienced, therefore he hungers for a fight. The wound must've been recent. The large animal idea is amazing James! We'll take care of it..." cried Sirius, his eyes lighting up.  
"Peter, you must snoop around. Ask if the whomping willow is as dangerous underground as it is above ground." Sirius explained, looking like a general of the Wizard Army, or the Q of the James Bond operation for wizards.  
"James, you take care of the incantation, Peter, you snoop around for useful information, and I'll whip up the potion that'll make us into animals!" Sirius growled, the familiar gleam springing into his eyes.  
"You always get the easy jobs..." Peter mumbled, scuffing his feet on the carpet.  
"As a matter of fact, Peter," Sirius said his name like he had just stepped on an insect. "We are all in our own element. You are particularly useful at this point in time because nobody snoops like you do. I'm into the potions, and James was always a whiz at researching incantations. If worse comes to worst, James'll just have to make one up."  
"Yeah Peter! If anything, you've got the easiest job. Nothing dangerous will happen to you!" growled James.  
"What about all those bullies that might get offended by me asking so many questions? Will you guarantee my safety?" Asked Peter pointedly, waving his hand around in the air with each word.  
Shielding his face with his hand, palm out-turned, James frowned and gave a tut.  
"How in the world can I do that?" Spat James at Peter, sticking his finger in Peter's chest.  
"Its up to you. Besides, I'm sticking my neck out for Lupin. I need some compensation."  
Now it was Sirius' turn to blow up.  
"There will be no exchange of funds!' Sirius thundered.  
"Alright, alright, Black. Whatever you say."  
"Look, we should be getting back. We'll start our respective jobs tomorrow. Peter, James, adieu."  
Taking off down the corridor, robes flapping behind him, Sirius paused only once.  
"James, walk with me. We need to start researching right away."  
Not waiting for James to catch up, Sirius took off down the stairs heading towards the library.  
  
*** 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor do I hold any claim to said literature  
  
A/n: special thanks to Zaniac for reviewing. Did I get the characterizations right? Sorry it took so damn long.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Cursing under his breath, Peter wandered around the corridors, thinking to himself.  
"Who the hell does Black think he is? Just because he can mix up some stupid gook to make us into animals so we can help that riffraff Lupin... The werewolf... I'm not safe with such an animal running around the campus. And what in the world is Potter doing hanging around with scum like those two. He could so much more an asset to me...If I was bigger... Ah well, all my problems would be solved if I had been different. But they always pick on the weak one, they do. They haven't the slightest idea of what I'm going through! I'm very fragile-" Peter collided solidly with something, so solid in fact that he fell to the floor, nearly knocked senseless.  
"Lost your bearings there, Pettigrew? Wouldn't be the first time." Slow, dimwitted laughter arose.   
Peter opened his eyes, revealing shiny black leather shoes, emblazoned on the tongues of which were a snake encircling a flask. Glancing about, he saw similar shoes, but all with different coats of arms.  
"Stop admiring what you can never have, Pettigrew. Get up and tell us why you're here in the Slytherin wing."  
"Severus, old friend!" Peter hastily got up, his head reeling.  
"Ah, you mistake me for another Severus, then. I was never friends with you." Snape's lip curled with a sneer.  
"Of course, of course Severus. Merely semantics, I'll wager!" Peter nervously laughed, trying to come off jauntily surprised-it didn't really work.  
" Quite. Barty, what do you think we do with this intruder? I mean, you are a prefect. Do you think we should alert the head of his house? Or deal with him instead."  
Barty Crouch stepped forward and sized Peter up, from head to toe as if he were a prize heifer.  
"Well Severus, you are my fellow prefect. What do you propose we do with him?"  
"Do you think Professor Malfoy will be pleased that we found the rascal? He'll know exactly what to do for Mr. Pettigrew."  
Terrified of the Slytherin House Head because of his sarcastic tongue and evilness in giving detentions, Peter stammered out,   
"I'll tell you why I was here. I need to ask you something, Barty. It is very important and horribly secret, for its dangerous."  
"Pettigrew, you wouldn't be involved in something dangerous if your life depended on it!" Scoffed Crouch, getting laughter from all sides.  
Still chuckling like a madman, Peter answered him with a sickening demeanor.  
"But it's true! All of it! I'm to ask everybody if they know if the Whomping willow is as dangerous underground as it above. Do any of you know?  
"I do." Said Lestrange, stepping out of the shadows. "I'm very proficient at Herbology, so proficient, in fact that Professor Sprout had me plant it alongside her. Now, why does an ickle Gryffindor like you want to know?"  
"Well, one of my fellow Gryffindors needs to know, quite royally. So, it is as dangerous underground?"  
"Much more. There's a little passageway, which leads into Hogsmeade. The roots can reach every nook and cranny of that passageway. Anybody passing through will surely be maimed." A sneer all around... Peter's haphazard confidence drained away from him, and he was left, a shivering mass of fright, mixed with cowardice.  
"H-how does o-one turn it off? Is there a switch of some sort?"  
"No, no. You saw our cards. Now show us yours. Who is this Gryffindor who needs this information? And why are you sticking your neck out for them?"  
Breathing out slowly, Peter debated whether or not to tell the Slytherins. In one hand, there was the huge possibility of getting marred. In the other hand, there was popularity abound, and him escaping with all his limbs and wits intact. Needles to say he chose the latter.  
"Well, I'm doing my research for Potter and Black."  
"Potter and Black?" Aghast by his answer, Snape took off down the hall. Cloaks swishing every which way, Peter was left desolate, doddering.  
  
***  
Meanwhile, at the library Sirius and James were poring over the books.  
"Aha! Look at this!" Exclaimed Sirius. "Becoming an Animagi is perplexing because of two main factors. The first one being that if the incantation goes wrong, terrible deaths will come to pass. Secondly, the wand spell is very difficult for many wizards, resulting in more horrible occurrences. If attempted to be done, this procedure should be under strict supervision of other Animagi. The ingredients for the potion are as follows..."  
"Well? Go on!"  
"I can't. There's nothing more." Sirius searched frantically through the remaining pages of the book. "It's all about what one must do to register!"  
"That's impossible!"  
"SSH!" There was a resounding echo all throughout the stuffy library.  
"S-sorry. Didn't mean to be loud."  
Packing up the books, Sirius happened upon a grand idea.  
"James! I saw a book on difficult wand spells in the restricted section of the library once. Do you think we can come back tonight and find it?"  
"Well, what about the incantation and the potion we have to drink?"  
"Moste Potente Potions can take care of that. Ye olde Incantations is another one. Wand spells were never my specialty though, and we'll have to research on it."  
"Ah, the benefits of having a brilliant friend. Now, my brilliant friend, how EXACTLY do we carry out these fantastical plans of yours?" James thundered.  
"Now, now, no need to get nasty. I know exactly how to get it! And so do you, Mr. Potter. So, stop acting so stupid and get your invisibility cloak ready. We'll wait for the common room to empty so we can study in peace."  
"What? How do you know about my cloak?"  
"James, I've been in close quarters with you for six years. Seeing you magically disappear once or twice a year didn't sway my suspicions one bit. Now, off you go, I'm going hunting."  
"Hunting? For what?"  
"A little rat we call Peter. I have a nasty misgiving that he peached."  
"Peached?"  
"A nasty muggles expression I picked up somewhere. It means to squeal."  
"Squeal?"  
"Helpless!" Said Sirius, throwing his hands up in mock despair.  
Flashing a smile, James tilted his head and looked past Sirius. The smile draining from James' face, Sirius whirled around to come face to face with Lily Evans and her friends.  
"Lily! Tara! Athena! How nice to see you all." Sirius said winningly, pulling Lily up close to him and giving her a big kiss on the cheek.  
"Ah ah ah, Black! Not to close, or Maximillian will cream you, royally."  
"Why should I care what that great duffer has to say? He can't even do the simplest of spells! I, however, am a very promising young duele-crap! I have the dueling club tonight! James, take over."  
Shoving the books and manuscripts into James' arms, Sirius took off down the hallway, robes billowing.  
"Great man, that one is." Tara giggled and nudged Athena.  
"I don't know what you see in him, really. Just a big mess of hair and muscles, and brains! He'll never get far..." Athena said, quite sarcastically.  
"But that's exactly what I see in him! just a big tangles mess of hair muscles and brains!"  
"Uh, Lily?" James ventured.  
"Yes? What is it, James?" She said it like he was just a client at a shop, totally impersonal and uncompassionate.  
"Uh, you don't mind me leaving, would you? I have somewhere I rather be."  
"Mind? why should I mind?"  
"Uh, no reason." James smiled nervously. "Well, I'll be off then. Tara, Athena. Lily, can I talk to you later in the common room?"  
"Busy. Sorry."  
Let down pretty bad, James trudged down the corridor, leading to the Ravenclaw wing. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I hold any claim to said literature. Special mention to the Rat Pack swing era for the song.  
  
A/n: thanks to my reviewers... I live for you guys! ;) I hope the story doesn't drag, I'm just getting it started. Here goes!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Taking off down the corridor, Sirius snapped his fingers to a tune in his head. Pretty soon, he was warbling at the top of his lungs to nobody in particular.  
"How lucky can one guy be? I kissed her and she kissed me  
Like the fellow once said, "Ain't that a kick in the head?  
The room was turning black, I hugged her and she hugged back  
Like the sailor said, quote: "ain't that a hole in the boat?  
My head keeps spinning, I go to sleep and keep grinning  
if this is just the beginning, my life is gonna be eautiful  
She tells me that we'll be wed, she's picked out a kingsize bed  
Tell me quick, ain't that a kick in the head?"  
  
Passing some gryffindors, Sirius hums the instrumental while boo ga looing with one of the fifth years. Taken aback by such a show of informality, the straightlaced Gryffindor girl gave Sirius a hard slap across the face, leaving a red palm mark.  
Dumfounded, Sirius scowled at the girl and took off down the corridor, finding the portal for the Dueling Club left wide open.  
"Some people..." Sirius mumbled to himself.  
Stepping inside, his watchful and alert eyes took in the sight. Students milling around like ants, but with one significant difference. With ants, there were no factions or groups of dissidents. In Hogwarts, there were four. Typically, the house members kept to themselves. Craving some excitement, Sirius sauntered over to the Slytherins and tapped Barty on the shoulder.  
"What do you want, Black?" Barty scathingly asked.  
"Only to be your dueling partner, Bartimus. Would you do me the honour?'  
Sneering, "The pleasure is all mine, Sirius."  
  
Pleased with himself, Sirius excused himself from their company, and walked over to Athena.  
"Oy! How'd you get here so bloody fast? Didn't i just leave you with Lily and Tara?"  
"Well Sirius, on my way to tonight's session, I didn't unexpectedly dance with anybody in the halls and get slapped. But hen, with you, its perfectly normal."  
"Scoff if you will, but I know that deep down, that little Gryffindor girl wants me." Said Sirius, exuding charm as only he could.  
"Wants you dead, that's for sure."  
"Oy! That hurt, Athena! I don't go about picking on you!" He said with a hurt look in his eyes.  
"I know. I go about picking on you. I never said we had to be even!"  
"Fine, go your merry way, see if I care."  
Putting her arm around his neck and laughing, Athena poked him in the stomach goodheartedly and asked him "Who's your partner tonight? Are you booked? Of course you're not, you've only just arrived! Tell you what, I'll be your partner! Since you're a better dueler than I am, we can call it even." Slipping out from underneath her arm, Sirius gave her a sad smile and said,  
"Sorry love, already booked."  
Trying to hide her disappointment, Athena tried to shrug it off, saying to Sirius that it was no big deal-he was only a charity case to begin with. She would go with Caitlin Bell instead. Thanking Athena for her consideration, Sirius stepped away, plodding along like a tired old cow. He thought to himself 'I wonder why she suddenly got all nervous on me? That never happened before. Maybe she's losing it, what with exams coming on in a couple of weeks. Or maybe, she hasn't found a date for the Christmas Formal... I know! I'll ask her, so we'll be even! Although I don't know what she means by that... Even shmeven, as long as I get shagged, I'll be happy.' This thought struck vivid images into his mind about the agile-bodied athlete. Grinning to himself, Sirius resolved to ask her after the first fight.  
***  
Calling the meeting to order, Professor Lucius Malfoy (a/n: I figured he had to have been a teacher because he was very respected-or was it feared-by the board of directors. Either way, he had to have some contact with them, so I made him Defense against the Dark Arts teacher.) introduced the new spell which the students were to learn.  
"It is called Draconousto. It expels a dragon spirit from your wands that will physically knock down your opponent, depending on your level of concentration. For those of you who have dragon heartstrings in your wands, the spirit will take form and a dragon will burst out of your wands, knocking down your opponent and keeping him pinned, just as long as you hold your concentration. Now students, I warn you, for if you lose concentration, the spell could very easily rebound on you. And, since both you and your partners will be performing the spell at the same time, the chances of rebounding are very large, and if it happens, very dangerous indeed. I have enlisted the help of my two colleagues, Crabbe and Goyle, and Hagrid, the keeper of the keys, in case anything goes wrong. Now I know between the three of them, they haven't much talent for magic, but they will easily take the brunt of your spell should it happen to rebound. That is why only 3 groups will duel at a time. Any questions?"  
Many Ravenclaw hands were raised. Lucius took one sour look at them and said.  
"Good. On we go, then. The first three groups will be Lestrange and partner, Snape and partner, and Crouch and partner. Please step up to the fighting rings and begin your training."  
Hearing the name of his partner called, Sirius stepped up to the biggest circle, the middle one, for he was confident of his abilities. Plus, he had a wand made with three dragon heartstrings. Maybe if he concentrated enough, he could make three dragons pop out of his wand and maul Lestrange. Beaming, Sirius was lost in his thoughts until somebody roughly prodded him in the back. Turning around to tell the little bastard off, he heard Professor Malfoy's voice booming at him.  
"Black! Are you deaf, boy? I didn't call you! Get back in the crowd with the others and wait your turn. For your disrespect, you and your partner will go last."  
Magnifying his voice, Sirius told Professor Malfoy, "Oh, Mr. Crouch will be so disappointed. I must really be a jinx."  
Barty's voice came up through the murmur, saying  
"Professor, you called me and my partner before you banished Sirius and his partner to the last set. In all fairness, I plead with you to let us fight now. It'll soon be over, I promise."  
" I wholly agree, Professor. May we please? If you'd like, we'd gladly go again with the last set." Sirius taunted.  
"Alright, alright. You may proceed." Professor Malfoy conceded, indignant.  
Warming up his wand, Sirius did a couple of exercises, all the while thinking to himself how much he would love to show up Barty.  
Crouch apparently was thinking the same thing, for when the two of them stepping into the rink, the crowd noticed that they both had the same demonically pleased smile plastered on their faces. Gryffindors and Slytherins alike began to congregate around the center rink, looking anxiously from Sirius to Crouch.  
"Come on, then Black. Show us your stuffing, why don't you?" Taunted the Slytherin in Sirius' rink.  
"I'll show you mine, if you show me yours Crouchy." Sirius retorted, circling the arena, eyes locked on his opponent.   
"Boys, stop this 'ere chatter an' get on wi' it!" Came a raspy voice from Sirius' left. Smiling to himself, Sirius remembered the many times Hagrid had saved him on school grounds. The big lovable bear was taking care of Sirius and that reassured Sirius even more.   
Stopping dead in his tracks, Sirius zoned out the crowd, leaving only him and Barty. Concentrating very hard he was about to say the spell when Barty yelled "Draconousto!" expelling a load of sparks which formed a dragon head and came charging at Sirius. Horrified that he hadn't fired the first shot Sirius muttered "deterante!" and successfully blocked the half-hearted spell sent by his opponent. Focusing his whole mind on the spell, Sirius yelled "DRACONOUSTO!" and held his concentration until he saw three forms blast out of the end of his wand. Three dragons were taking shape in front of him, a Horntail, a Ridgeback, and a Fireball. Concentrating all his energy, Sirius urged the three forms to charge at Barty, who was stunned out of his wits. The sight of three dragons in front of him was rather terrifying and he stood spellbound.  
Lazily taking a step forward, the Horntail stared at Barty as if he wasn't worth eating. But then, thanks to a burst of thought from Sirius, the dragon's eye went ablaze and it charged at Barty, pinned him down and snarled. In tears, Crouch still would not give up. Trying his very best to make the spell disappear, he pathetically pointed his wand at its belly, whimpering "evaporator!" which was quite useless. He was so scared that his magic wasn't working.  
Meanwhile, the Ridgeback and the Fireball were trying to get out of the ring, because Sirius was focusing his attention solely on the Horntail. The magical restraints on them made it impossible to leave the rink. Enraged, and equipped with free will, the two spells threateningly moved closer to their captor, Sirius Black. So unaware was he, that Hagrid had to prod him sharply in the chest. Eyes snapping forward, he saw the advancing danger.  
"EVAPORATOR!" he screamed. The three dragons vanished and Barty Crouch was left on the ground, panting and whimpering. Striding across the arena, Sirius extended his hand to Barty. Grabbing it, Barty pulled himself up, spat in Sirius' face and stalked out of the room, eyes still puffy from crying.  
"Mr. Black, well done. But I said only to expel one dragon and you released three. I'm afraid I shall have to give a detention to you. You will report to my office when this is over."  
"Yes Professor." Sirius grinned. No amount of bloody detentions would take away the memory of Barty shivering on the ground, pinned under Sirius' own spell. He really was going to be an auror one of these days.  
Walking over to where Athena and Caitlin were, he was given a wide berth and wary glances from the students.  
"So, how'd I do?" he said as he sidled up to them. Gruffly turning away, Athena muttered something and stalked off.  
"What's got her knickers in a twist?" He asked, piqued.  
"She thought you said you were a bad dueler. She was so worried that you were going to hurt yourself and when you made those dragons pop out, she felt... well, sort of stupid because she was yelling, 'Sirius, Sirius, you don't know what you're doing!' or 'be careful, you'll hurt yourself!' at the top of her lungs. People then started laughing at her." Caitlin offered, still in awe of Sirius and his performance.  
"Why? Why'd they start laughing?" he asked sharply.  
Startled, Caitlin said, "How the devil should I know? I wasn't laughing at her!"  
"Fine, fine." Sirius chuckled, unused to seeing the quiet Gryffindor schoolgirl get as provoked as she was.  
"Go apologize, I mean it. She's probably crying now, you know."  
"Athena? For heaven's sake, she was called Athena for a reason, you know. Her parents wouldn't name their daughter after a fierce Goddess just because!"  
"Idiot! Athena is a weaver! A spinster! Our Athena is probably really fragile. Now I insist you look for her and apologize."  
"Fine, fine." He chuckled once more, then set off towards the door.  
"Have you seen Athena?" He asked Bart Zolotin, a Hufflepuff who was standing next to the door.  
"Yep, run out just now. Wot 'chu do to 'er then?" His cockney accent drove Sirius up the wall, so he declined to answer.  
"Where'd she go? Left or right? Just point. I don't want a whole damn essay about why she chose the way she went either."  
"But we 'ol choose the way go, event'ally."  
"Left or right!" Sirius bellowed, brandishing his wand. "Don't make me do to you what I just did to Crouchy." He whispered threateningly.  
"'Ere 'ere, no 'arm dun! Right."  
"Thanks!" Sirius flashed a smile and ran out of the room, down the right corridor.  
  
*** 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor do I hold any claim to said literature. Special thanks to the   
writers of the song I used, called "On the Street where you live" from "My Fair Lady"  
  
Chapter 4  
  
All alone in the common room, Remus looked about, searching for a companion. All the students who were   
left in the common room were busy.  
"Where's Sirius when you need him?" Came a voice behind Remus' left ear.  
"I know its you, James. No need for the sneakiness. I haven't a clue where he is, why?"  
"Well, Athena's hexing anybody and everybody who comes near her."  
"Why do you need Sirius then? Won't he just aggravate her more?"  
"Ah, The Starchild doth speak with a honeyed tongue."  
"Don't think I don't know what that means, you prat. And Sirius does not have a honeyed tongue.   
If anything, he's got a bristly one."  
"How'd you know then, Remus? Did you try out this bristly tongue of his?"  
"Yurgh, don't be gross James. I'm just saying that Sirius has a tendency to irritate people. If   
Athena is really mad, Sirius wouldn't be a good mediator."  
"He speaks to women differently, Remus. He's the only one I know who can get away with   
kissing Lily Evans and not get punched in the face by Maximillian."  
"You know very well you could too, if you only you'd turn on that charm of yours that we all   
know and love." Smiling, Remus lightly hit James on the arm. Sitting down across from Remus, James put   
his feet up on the table.  
"How about a game of wizard chess? Loser has to do the winner's potions homework."  
"Oh, but I've already done my Potions!"  
"Well, what haven't you done?"  
"Defense of the Dark Arts. I despise Malfoy's essays."  
"Yeah, a whole twelve feet! You're on! I haven't done mine either!"  
"Well, I've started, but I only have a couple of inches down, okay?" Shoving his work aside,   
Remus summoned the wizarding chess set from the cubby on the wall. "Accio Chess set!" he mumbled. It   
flew over, hitting James sorely on the head, then setting itself down in between the two of them.  
"Ah! You did that on purpose!" Rubbing his head and smoothing down his untamable hair, all to   
no avail. Smiling his secret smile, Remus tapped his nose and said, "I'm white."  
"No fair! I was black last time!"  
"Alright, you can be white." Twirling the board around, Remus waited for James to move.  
Taking his move, James made polite conversation.  
"So, Remus, did you see the hooters on Alicia, that Ravenclaw prefect?"  
"Hooters? Be polite James. And no I didn't see them, nor do I have any intention to."  
"Going to be a eunuch then?"  
"No, I just like girls who have more than a nice pair of floaters on their chest. A brain would be   
nice."  
"Haha, that's typical. Check."  
"Typical of what? Check."  
"An intellectual such as yourself."  
"An intellectual? You flatter me. Checkmate."  
"Ah! No! Defense Against the Dark Arts Essays!"  
"Haha, I'll clear you of your debt to me, good sir, and help you write your essay. Now, get some   
parchment and sharpen your quill. We both have the same topic, right?"  
"No, I have Origins of The three Unforgivable Curses. You?"  
"I have Origins of the Basilisk. You need help?"  
"No, I'll be fine. I'll ask Sirius to help if I get stuck."  
'Sirius? Why? I'm already offering my help to you."  
"Alright, alright. I'll ask you for help when I need to, deal?"  
"Deal."  
Pulling out his parchment, James sat himself down and took out his quill. He began.  
"The Origins of the three Unforgivable curses all depended on one person. Namely, Branwen   
Maddocks. She was the most powerful Sorceress after Merlin, but she was evil." Taking a look at it, he said   
to himself, "Looks like a nine-year-old wrote it."  
Re-writing it, he jazzed it up a bit. It soon read, "The cradle of the three unforgivable curses rests in our   
very own English Wizard History. The mastermind behind it all was a sorceress named Branwen H.   
Maddocks. One of Merlin's many proteges; Branwen always resented her bastard nature. She alone,   
amongst hundred of whelps, inherited his magical prowess.   
Maturing with a rich noble family, Branwen grew up wealthy, and was denied nothing. She was of   
muggle parentage, and when she came to terms with her magic, was sent for an apprenticeship with Merlin   
and Nimue. Branwen would hopefully carry the old ways into the new age, and would live on forever as a   
druidess. Merlin wished to bring the old Gods back to Britain, the emerald isle, and he needed blood for the   
ceremony. Branwen was to be the first to resurrect and rule the people. When she was deemed too old to   
rule the people, she would appoint her successor, a druid that she trained since he was born. But, she would   
never die, just lose her youthful aspect.  
Seeing that she grew up spoilt and fawned over, she was extremely vain. The mere thought of   
losing her young looks sent her into pandemonium. And being a sacrifice wasn't such a wonderful thought   
either. So, in the late hours of the night and wee hours of the morning when Nimue slept and Merlin took   
servant girls to his bed, Branwen invented spells to torture her captors. Late one night, she happened upon   
the Cruciatus Curse, the curse that sets one's very bones on fire, causing great pain.  
Summoning a servant girl who had just emerged from Merlin's bed, she put the curse on her, with   
her Ollivanders wand. Writhing in pain, the girl begged her to stop.  
Pleased with herself, Branwen employed the girl to be a test subject. At night Olwen (for that was   
her name) was to be put under the curses that Branwen came up with, and in the day, she lived like a queen.  
Night after night, Branwen tried the curses on her, until she reached the Avada Kedavra Curse.   
The flashing green light and the dead thump on the floor brought Nimue running. Demanding to know what   
was going on, Nimue stood spellbound as Branwen put the Cruciatus curse on her.  
Commanding Nimue's secrecy, Branwen co-conspired to kill Merlin. Calling him out for a   
wizard's showdown, Branwen shot the Avada Kedavra Curse at him. The Speeding Death caught him   
unawares, and he died on the spot. The second life claimed by the odious curse was the one of the greatest   
wizard of ancient times, and it was a shame." Reading through and seeing it fall short a couple feet; he   
enlarged his writing using a simple spell. Looking around to see if Remus was done, James' eyes fell on his   
chum, fast asleep on the table, all twelve feet of parchment—front and back—were covered in tiny print, all   
about the origins of the Basilisk.  
Making Remus light as a feather, James' floated his companion up to the bedroom and set him on   
his bed. Turning around he saw Sirius in the doorway with a broken nose.  
  
***  
Looking at James from the doorway, Sirius took to thinking, 'I wonder if I had acted like James if Athena   
wouldn't have broken my nose.' Going over to James, Sirius was greeted by,  
"What the devil happened to your nose? I always knew this whole Dueling Club idea was a bad   
notion! Come on, off we go to Madame Pomfrey."  
"That new head nurse? Whatever happened to that pinhead of a head nurse? Ms. Strailker?"  
"She ran off with Mr. Ryan, the clerk sent from Gringotts to oversee the tuition intake."  
"A regular little soap opera, ay?"  
"Quite. Now, off we go to Poppy Pomfrey!" Declared James, sticking his fist in the air like a   
revolutionary. A little down the hallway when all was quiet, James ventured,  
"Why the bloody broken nose?"  
"No need to get vulgar, Jimbo." Sirius teased.  
Laughing James said, "You know what I mean."  
"Well, Athena was all worried that I might get hurt when I was dueling Barty—"  
"What were you doing battling Barty? Aren't you supposed to duel with your friends?"  
"The meeting would've been boring I had. We learnt this new spell called Draconousto, which   
calls forth a dragon spirit from the wizard's wand. And if your wand had dragon heartstrings, then the   
dragons who supplied them would appear and physically attack your opponent when you controlled them   
with your mind.'  
"Wait, so you mean to tell me that a dragon popped out of your wand?" James asked   
incredulously. Shaking his head and chuckling, Sirius said,  
"Try three."  
"Three?"  
"My wand has three dragon heartstrings, remember? A Horntail, a Ridgeback, and a Fireball."  
"That was un-sportsmanly of Barty, he should've accepted that you won and not have tried to   
break your nose."  
"James, you're not listening! The worst thing that Barty did was spit in my face and stalk off.   
Athena did this to me." Sirius said, poison dripping from his words as he pointed to his nose. James walked   
on in silence, his shoulders rocking and heaving. As they turned a corner, a snort of laughter escaped his   
lips.  
"You got beaten up by a girl who likes you? I'll never understand women."  
"Neither will—wait, likes me? Are you daft?"  
"Have you been pulling?"  
"No, I haven't. I can't understand why she likes me though… This is very confusing."  
"Speaking of confusing, have you worked out the potion for the Animagi we are to become?"  
"Yeah, it's in my trunk." Sirius dismissed the question. "What do you mean, likes me?"  
"Are you sure you haven't been pulling?"  
"I'm bloody sure! I would know, wouldn't I?"  
"Well, you didn't know that she likes you, you might not know if you've been pulling or not.   
Anyway, I already have the incantation, I'll write it down while you're in the infirmary." Pushing Sirius   
into the infirmary, James sat down on an armchair and summoned some parchment from the common   
room. Fiddling around with his quill, Matthew Rogers, the Quidditch team captain for Gryffindor happened   
upon him.  
"How's my favourite chaser?" Matthew asked, pulling up a chair and giving James a sidelong   
glance.  
"AH, AH Matt. Mustn't play favourites. What about Peter Johnson, the other chaser? He's good   
too."  
"Yes, I forgot about him, considering he's my best *mate*." Matt sniggered.  
"Sorry, I don't keep up with you seventh years. My puny little sixth year mind is already bursting   
at the seams, what with all the homework and social problems we have."  
"Haha, quite. I forgot about what it was like in the good old days. Now all of us in the seventh   
year are babied, spoon-fed, and the like. The administration must be really morose to see us go. We've all   
forgotten what real work is."  
"Yeah, I know what you mean… No, I don't. The professors are working us to the bone."  
"Yeah, well. Your time will com. Look Potter, I'm not going to ask you again, so you'd better   
give an answer right away."  
"Whoa Matt, I'm not that kind of guy."  
"Stop being a wanker. No, I want to ask you if you'll take on the responsibility of being team   
captain when I leave. I'm giving you until next Quidditch practice to think about your answer. See you in   
twenty minutes." Getting up off the chair, Matt gave James a nod and went in the direction of the field.  
Overjoyed at being asked to be captain, James sped into the infirmary, calling for Sirius, unable to contain   
his rapture.  
"Sirius! Sirius! Where is he, Madame Pomfrey?"  
"In the back, nursing a bad headache."  
"Headache? How'd he get that? Blood loss? Is he doing okay?"   
"He got the headache because his ears began to ring. Lisa Scully was in the same room as him and   
he got rather woozy because of the Blood Flood that I gave him. He lost a lot of blood from his nose.   
Suddenly, he's on her and she slaps him so hard that he falls off, unconscious. Typical behaviour of a   
sixteen-year-old, I'll wager. You may see him, but don't cause too much excitement." Madame Pomfrey   
pointed her wand at a wall and a hatch opened, allowing James to hear Sirius singing.   
"I have often walked down this street before  
But the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before  
All at once am I, several stories high  
Knowing I'm on the street where you live  
People stop and stare, they don't bother me  
For there's nowhere else on Earth that I would rather be  
Let the time go by, I won't care  
If I can be here on the street where you live"  
James stood in the doorway of Sirius' room, witnessing this loss of sanity.  
"Poppy! Poppy dearest, you look absolutely MARVELOUS, Wot Wot?" Sirius cried, waving like   
a madman. James grinned and talked in a high, mocking voice, and came over to sit on Sirius' bed.  
"Oh SIRIUS! I heard all about your wonderful escapade with the dueling club!"  
"Well Poppy, I gave Crouchy what was due…" Beaming delightfully, Sirius sank back onto his   
bed and gazed at the ceiling contentedly.  
"Haha. That you did, Sirius. That you did." Came a voice behind James. Remus stood in the   
doorway and grinned.  
"Ah, Minerva! So glad you could join us! I was just telling Poppy here about my capers, wot   
wot?"  
"I heard, Sirius. From Athena."  
At the mention of Athena's name, Sirius cringed and hid under the blankets, quivering like a lump of Jell-O   
"Is she gone?" he whispered after a while, peeking out from under the covers.  
"She was really disappointed. She made you to look like a complete invalid then you pull a stunt   
like that, don't you think that she would feel like she put her foot in her mouth?"  
"Up her ass, more like it." Sirius sniggered. "But seriously, when I went to talk to her, she   
wouldn't talk to me at first, then she was spewing a stream of acrimonious words, then, before I know it,   
she's broken my bloody nose! I ask you, should I really feel sorry for her?"  
"She's fragile, Sirius. Even though she comes off strong and undaunted, deep down inside, she is   
very scared of everything. We should all try to make her feel appreciated. She came from muggle   
parentage, right?"  
"Naw, her parents are both squibs, so they moved to the muggle world. But they have wizarding   
blood. When they found that Athena had magic, they moved back into the wizarding world. I believe they   
both work for muggle relations in the ministry. By the way, how's Arthur?"  
"Arthur?"  
"Arthur Weasley. I haven't seen him in ages, and he might be leaving soon at half term. We   
simply must get to him and have some sort of fun…"  
"I shall arrange it. Mr. Lupin, Mr. Potter, please, will you return to your dormitories? Mr. Black,   
take a long draught of this, and you'll fall right to sleep." Said Madame Pomfrey, coming in to shoo the   
visitors out.  
Walking out of the infirmary, Remus and James took one look at each other and burst out   
laughing. "So, Poppy, why is Sirius hyped up on headache medicine?"  
"Well Minerva, it's a long story…"  
"Come on, Poppy. I've got lots of time."  
"Well, he got rather woozy after the Blood Flood and he got on top of Lisa Scully. She slapped   
him so hard that he fell unconscious. Madame Pomfrey gave him some headache goop then I walked in."  
"Lisa Scully? That Ravenclaw prefect?"  
"Uhuh. Why?"  
"No reason." Remus turned two shades redder.  
"Oh well. Maybe I'll ask her to the Christmas formal, if you wont."  
"What?!?!" Clearing his throat, Remus asked once more, "what?"  
"What?"  
"James, be serious. You simply must go with Lily, Sirius must go with Athena, and I absolutely   
have to go alone. It doesn't do well for my image. I do have to keep up a reputation, you know."  
"Of what? What are you supposed to be?"  
"An intellectual. You don't see Dr. Frankenstein running around with some floozy, do you?"  
"Well, she's almost your intellectual equal. Of course, she can't do the Wingardium Leviosa   
charm, but that's really difficult!" Said James with a frown.  
"Don't kid around, Poppy. Look, I'll see you in a bit. I'm going to the library."  
"But it's not that time of the month yet!"  
"Well, I want to research on a potion that makes my transformations less painful. Sprouting fur is   
no laughing matter."  
"Shall I come with you?"  
"Sure, it'll be a whole lot easier."  
Turning around, they went to the library, and James finally felt accepted by Remus.  
  
*** 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Seriously, any legal action would be futile. Why bother? And forgive my politically incorrect joke. (  
  
Pacing up and down the deserted library, James muttered incoherently and flicked his fingers to and Fro like a madman. "Potter! Cease and desist! It's very hard to concentrate with you acting like a lunatic. Now if you must mutter your utterances, then do it elsewhere." Remus said, exasperated.  
  
'S-sorry Remus. But how does this sound for an incantation? "Animagi, we become!"  
  
Remus gesticulated, motioning for what was to come next.  
  
"That was it, so far." James sheepishly grinned.  
  
"Oh… Do you mind working on it at the far side of the library?"  
  
"Oh sure!" Picking up his parchment and quill, James sat down in a cubicle. Tapping his head with the feather, James let out a frustrated groan and let his head drop onto his arms. Hearing a long, thin sustained note, James sat up and looked around. It seemed to be coming from the prefect's bathroom right outside the library. Dashing back up to where Remus was, James implored of him, "What's the password to the prefect bathroom?"  
  
"How should I know? I've only been here for a couple of months! But I do recall it having something to do with cosmetics."  
  
"All right, thanks." Sprinting to the lavatory, James stood in front of the Swan tapestry and said,  
  
"Implements which guard the passage and bar my way, come undone! Reveal your secret!" Smacking the tapestry with his wand, he waited for something to happen.  
  
"Oh come on! Please?" Disappointed, James turned around. 'It was worth a shot…' and then, it dawned upon him. Lily! A prefect? No. Dating one? Yes! Now, all James had to do was seduce the password out of her. A boyish gleam leaping into his eyes, James took off for the common room to fetch his broom.  
  
At the Quidditch field, Lily Evans was in the stands, watching the Ravenclaw Quidditch team practice. Gazing up at Douglas Maximillian, she couldn't help but ponder, in all her years at Hogwarts, when was she ever truly happy?  
  
'I sound like something out of a soap opera!' She thought in disgust. 'But it won't change the fact that I was only ever having fun with Sirius.' Laughing and cheering on Doug, Lily heard protests coming from the Ravenclaws.  
  
"Get that Gryffindor out of here!"  
  
"Max, she might squeal!"  
  
"She won't have to, look! Here comes one of their chasers!"  
  
Ducking in and out of the irked Ravenclaws, James performed impressive tricks on his broomstick, the fastest model ever made, the CleanSweep5. Coming to a halt in front of Lily, James tilted his head back and motioned for Lily to get on.  
  
"Yes, James? What do you want?"  
  
"Take a ride on my magic carpet…"James faltered, at a loss.  
  
"Can you take me back to the common room?" Lily asked, expectant.  
  
"Sure, hop on."  
  
Alighting on his broom carefully, Lily grabbed hold of the handle and let James take her up.  
  
"Did you ever hear the joke about the Indian chief?"  
  
"No, do tell."  
  
"Okay, there was a damsel in distress in the wild, Wild West. Having nowhere to go and needing to rest, she happened upon a half-naked Indian Chief who asked her if she needed a ride to the next town. Accepting graciously, she sat in front of him and permitted him to escort her to her destination." James spiraled up and then, suddenly dove back down to the lake, skimming his toes on the water before shooting back up again. Lily froze, unable to protest.  
  
"So anyway, they passed rivers and watering holes on the way to the next town, see? And the horse was afraid of water. So, he would jump over the rivers and streams and avoid the watering holes. Now, don't ask how a horse could jump over a river, it just does." James said, matter-of-factly, placing his forefinger on her lips, and bring the broom higher up.  
  
" So anyway, the damsel wasn't such a great rider, so she grabbed hold of the pommel (a/n: or is it called the horn?) whenever the horse jumped. And in turn, the chief would scream "Woo hoo!" whenever the horse jumped. Leaving her at a dusty old town, the chief rode on. Walking into a saloon, the damsel asked the bartender if he knew the old Indian chief who rode around helping people. The bartender said that he did and the damsel asked, "Why does he shout when his horse jumps over water?"  
  
"I declare, I do not know. What was happening on that there horse?"  
  
"Well, I'm not such and experienced rider myself, so I'd grab onto the pommel and hold tight. That's all, I reckon." The bartender gave a knowing smile and returned to cleaning the glasses. The damsel begged to know why the bartender grinned at her so, and the bartender leaned in, and whispered, "The chief rides bare-back, m'lady." Get it?" James asked, speaking into Lily's right ear.  
  
"No. I don't."  
  
"Aw Lil, you're no fun. I know you got it, you just don't want to admit it. Now, for entertaining you, I need some compensation."  
  
"Potter, if you think that— "  
  
"Hold on, hold on. Let me finish. I need the password to the prefects bathroom." James pleaded, spinning Lily around on the broom so that she faced him.  
  
"How would I know? I'm not a prefect?"  
  
"Ah no, but you're dating one!" James said, tapping her nose, making her laugh.  
  
"Not for long." She admitted ruefully. Instantaneously, two thought ran through James' head. 1) Oh no! I won't be able to get the password! I want to find out what the stupid music is! And 2) Yes! She's going to be available in a very short while! Clearing his throat, James went for the safe route. Putting on his therapy voice and his puppy dog eyes, James asked her, "Why? What makes you say that?"  
  
"The fact that Doug is a twat makes me say that!"  
  
"Doug?"  
  
"Maximillian. I forgot that only girls call him Doug."  
  
"So, why is he a great twat?"  
  
"Because, because, I don't know! He just is. Now get me down!"  
  
"Nu-uh. Nothing doing. I must be a great nutter but, would you consider me for your next boyfriend?" Zipping through the air, James ducked swiftly, making Lily turn white in fear. Gaining speed, James pulled out of the dive, getting level once more. Searching Lily's face, James was pleased to see a smile creep across her face.  
  
"Well, if you put me down within the next five minutes, your chances will drastically change—in a good way."  
  
"Then my odds will just have to suffer." He smiled. "I like flying with you."  
  
"Wish I could say the same. I hate flying."  
  
"You're awfully good at it."  
  
"Please, I'm sitting here like a great lump while you do the navigating. That's hardly what I call flying anyway. By the way, great joke." She smiled, punching him lightheartedly on the shoulder.  
  
"Are you going to make *this * Indian chief whoop with pleasure?"  
  
"Very funny Potter. Look, we should do this again sometime. I really enjoyed it. But I'm sorry that I can't help you with the prefect password. But, I am seriously considering of letting you fill the hole that Doug can no longer fill."  
  
"Ooh, can't wait. Now, I promised you a ride to the common room, right?"  
  
"Well, I have to take a raincheck. Could you fly me back to the Quidditch field?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Setting her down gently on the bleachers, James flashed her a smile and zoomed off. Running up to the dormitory, he rummaged through his belongings for his invisibility cloak. Finding it under his Quidditch robes, he remembered the promise he'd made to Matthew Rogers.  
  
"Bloody Hell! I forgot! But I haven't the stomach to be captain!"  
  
"Yes, you do. That's why I chose you. So, will you be my successor?" Rogers asked, stepping out of the shadows.  
  
"Well, I don't think I can pick a lineup as well as you do. I need some time to think about this, Matt." James pleaded, stuffing his cloak and his robes back into his trunk.  
  
"Time which we haven't got. Now, either you take it, or I submit our retirement notice to Minerva McGonagall. I mean it James. The history of the Gryffindor house Quidditch team is all in your hands, and whether you take it or not, I can't control that. But what I can control is the team so far."  
  
"That wasn't fair Matt."  
  
"Maybe not, but unless you become captain, my decision still stands."  
  
"All right, all right. I wanted to in the first place, but now that it seems like my duty, I don't feel as excited as I should. But I accept." James was downhearted and disappointed, but he stoically took it.  
  
Sitting down on his bed, James stared at Matt.  
  
"I'll see you at practice." He said, getting up from the bed. James was left alone on his bed.  
  
Rummaging around in Sirius' stuff he found the magic map from the pirate cave. Grabbing his wand, James thought to himself that only those who found it were allowed to use it. "Conceal!" he muttered and the parchment turned blank.  
  
Running to the prefect's bathroom, he tapped it once more, whispering "show yourself!" and he searched the parchment for the prefect's bathroom. He saw himself saying the password "Cosmydor!" and he looked up as the Swan tapestry spoke.  
  
"Beware the smelly populace. They shall not transcend!" Laughing at the swan, James ducked behind the tapestry and stood in the middle of the bathroom. Waiting, waiting, waiting for about ten minutes, he heard nothing. Just as soon as he turned to leave, he heard a long, sustained note. It came from a statue of a centaur huntress, not far from the door. At her feet lay a dying deer.  
  
"Hey you!" James exclaimed, tapping the statue with his wand. Suddenly, the bathroom was filled with an emerald light, the very walls pulsating with life. Unforeseen, the statue spoke,  
  
"Young stag, to what purpose do you seek my aid?"  
  
"Uh, I want to become an animagus. To help my werewolf friend, ma'am."  
  
"I sense great honor in you. You shall prevail. Allow me to be your muse and I shall lead you on to greatness."  
  
"I thank you m'lady." James backed away and bowed.  
  
"Come closer young stag. I have a secret for you."  
  
Leaning in, James stare as the huntress cupped her hand to her mouth and thundered,  
  
"Animagi we become!  
  
Bound by the blood  
  
And the brotherhood of the wand  
  
Three different forms  
  
We three must take  
  
One, a stag, in honour of his muse  
  
One, a rat to be put to good use  
  
And lastly, a dog, to complete the ruse!"  
  
The statue turned lifeless once more and James was left spellbound.  
  
"This is some scary shit." He heard himself say. Everything was like an out-of-body experience! Running to the library, James skidded to a halt in front of Remus' heaving form. The poor boy had fallen asleep. 'Poor boy must be narcoleptic!' James thought with a smile. Shaking Remus awake very gently, James said that he had found the incantation.  
  
"Humph, I'll bet… Now, what did you want?"  
  
"That's it! I just found out how to become an animagus. Now, pack up, we have some wand work to do."  
  
"Sure. But first we'll have to find Sirius."  
  
"He's still in the infirmary. I'll fetch him, you go find Pettigrew. We're going to do this tonight."  
  
"But, does Sirius have the potion?"  
  
"He said he did! I'll take care of that, just run along and fetch Peter. We reconvene at the South star gazing tower, alright?"  
  
"Okay, I'll see you in a bit then."  
  
Dashing off in two directions, the boys thundered down the corridors, robes flying behind them.  
  
Meanwhile, Sirius had dozed off. He awoke with a crawling suspicion that something worthwhile was going to happen tonight. Ducking once more under his bed, he whispered "lumos" and shuddered with revulsion as the slugs shied away from the wandlight.  
  
Opening the chest very carefully, Sirius took a deep breath and peered in. There were bottles of ingredients that lay unopened and dusty. Imbedded in the velvet bed lay a note:  
  
Severus Snape, Slytherin, Sixth Year  
  
"I wonder if the little weasel left it here for me to find. But it does give me an advantage. It saves me the time and energy that I could put to better use. Now lets see, the inventory should be around here somewhere."  
  
Patting, pinching and inserting his fingers into every nook and cranny of the potion box, Sirius came up with a yellowed bit of parchment that said,  
  
Monksfoot ( four cups  
  
Wolfsbane ( four cups  
  
Ollar ( 1000 grams  
  
Newt concentrate ( 4 ounces  
  
Dragons blood ( one cup  
  
Human blood ( one cup  
  
As Sirius read the list he cringed in disgust and shut the lid of the chest, but not before taking a sniff of the Ollar, which smelled peculiarly like this marijuana thing that James was always talking about.  
  
"We simply must find some of that stuff and slip it in the Slytherin drinks. It'd be quite a spectacle!"  
  
Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, and Sirius spun around and flourished his wand.  
  
"Easy, easy Sirius! It's only me! Now, I had to tell you as soon as possible. I have the incantation for the transformation. We need your potions knowledge, so grab the ingredients and I'll bring you along to the south star gazing tower."  
  
"James! You startled me! Well, I have sort of a problem. We don't really have the potion yet. Do you think that we can just do the incantation and the wand formation? The potion is really if you want the transformation to be temporary."  
  
"Are you absolutely sure about that, Sirius? I don't want to be stuck as a stag the rest of my life."  
  
"Oh, you picked your animal already?"  
  
"No, it was sort of assigned by my patron. That's how I got the incantation, you see. Now the two other choices are a rat and a big dog. Almost a wolf, you see. Quite splendid animal you see. Man's best friend and all that."  
  
"I get it, I get it. You want me to be the wolf, right?" Sirius laughed.  
  
"No, I need you to be the dog."  
  
James pulled Sirius up of the floor and made for the doorway. Taking the southern corridor through the Great Hall, James glanced up at the ceiling and sighed in amazement. The night sky was beautiful, even though it was pitch black. There were patches of charcoal grey in areas and the stars twinkled like diamonds—cliché as it may sound.  
  
Scurrying up the stairs, Sirius and James were intercepted by a mish mash man in a painting.  
  
" 'Allo, 'allo, 'allo! I neva tho' I'd see the daiy when Sirius and Jaimes wu' fuget ta see me on thair waiy up. An' withou' gels, ai see." The man said in a harsh cockney accent. Adorned in fuschia feathers, electric blue patches on his robes, and a fearsome African mask, the mish-mash man stood with his hands on his hips.  
  
"Mish-mash, you old coot! How have you been? We haven't had class here in ages, so we didn't have the chance to say hello." Sirius smiled, stopping at the painting.  
  
"Neva stopped you befoa! Wheah ah yoah laidees?" Mish-mash asked, peering around the two boys.  
  
"Ladies? We don't do that stuff anymore."  
  
"You goin' foa fellas then?"  
  
"Of course not! We're just rather busy, Mish-mash. Can we see you on our way down?" James offered, edging in front of Sirius.  
  
"Shua, shua." Mish-mash said, waving them on.  
  
"Sirius, are you sure we don't need the potion? I do so hate being a pushover about he whole thing, but we haven't got the time to search for it. I met my patroness tonight and we simply must get this going."  
  
"No complaints here, I'm perfectly alright with it. Just that, I'm worried about Peter."  
  
"Why? He'll show up. We're his personal pittbulls, he won't do anything without us behind him to shield him from punches, remember?"  
  
"Yes, but, what if he tells?"  
  
"Then he loses us."  
  
"Alright, I stand corrected, but if anything goes wrong, we could be expelled, you do know that, right?"  
  
"Yes I do. Now, here's the door leading to the roof. Remus and Peter are already there. And if they're not, then we can talk some more."  
  
"Yeah, James, I was wondering about this Ollar substance that I've been hearing you blab on about for two years. What does the stuff do?"  
  
"Well, it turns the senses to jelly, leaving you totally relaxed and at ease. Sometimes however, you say really stupid things because you're under the influence of its chemicals."  
  
"Really? Like, how stupid?"  
  
"Like, braindead kind of stupid. Like Peter Pettigrew in charms class."  
  
"I heard that Potter!" growled Peter from the far end of the tower.  
  
"So?"  
  
"Let's get on with it then, we haven't much time until Filchy makes his rounds." Remus said, getting the roof ready. He was making a four- pointed star with detergent with blue flecks in it.  
  
"Remus, is that the sorcerers sand that I asked you for?" Sirius asked, shrugging the sleep off.  
  
"No, it's Lily's detergent. I couldn't find any, so I had to improvise."  
  
"It'll have to do. If we don't botch this up too bad, then we'll be Animagi. If not, we'll be very sorry."  
  
"Alright. Into your places, everyone. Remus, we only need a triangle, unless you want to turn into an animal as well."  
  
"No thanks. I'll just rearrange this, if you please. Stand back Peter."  
  
Swishing his wand and making the detergent form six triangles with a singular midpoint.  
  
"See this? You're all connected. If something happens to one of you, it happens to all of you. Both good and bad effects, alright?"  
  
"Alright. Now, to your places, men!" Sirius barked, marching to one end of the triangle. 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own anything… Everything I own is rubbish.  
  
Taking their places, James and Peter stood at their ends of the triangle.  
  
"Alright, lets get furry. James, if you please."  
  
"Animagi we become!  
  
Bound by the blood  
  
And the brotherhood of the wand  
  
Three different forms  
  
We three must take  
  
One, a stag, in honour of his muse  
  
One, a rat to be put to good use  
  
And lastly, a dog, to complete the ruse!" James said, motioning for the other two to point their wands to the midpoint. When the incantation was said, the wands expelled a blue light that covered the roof deck. Remus dashed over to the side, looking over to see if anybody was lurking the grounds. Satisfied, he averted his attention back to the spell.  
  
Taking the whole scene into focus, Remus saw his friends taking on different forms. Sirius' nose was getting broader and his facial hair was getting coarser. James' face was getting longer and his head was getting two bumps where antlers should be. Peter was getting more sinister by the second. His eyes took on a luminous quality and his teeth became pointed. Remus stood aghast.  
  
'Peter looks so much like a rat, it's uncanny!' He thought, surprised.  
  
Quite unexpectedly, the blue light fizzled out, and the three of them were left looking like half-formed animals.  
  
"Sirius! I told you we needed the potion! Now were stuck as the human sideshow of the year!" James yelled, crossing the triangle, spreading the detergent across the deck like sand.  
  
"Well, why didn't I think of that when I was UNCONSCIOUS AND BLEEDING FROM THE HEAD? YOU WANNA EXPLAIN THAT TO ME James?"  
  
"There is no need to get stentorian, Sirius. I seriously dislike wading through your deluge of spittle." James said, very dangerously, very quietly.  
  
"Now, both of you stop that. The whole problem lies with me. I should've used the sorcerers sand. Sirius is right; the potion is only for when you want the transformation to be temporary. Now, I will find the sand, just don't move."  
  
"Remus, we can't do the whole thing over. It's nearly dawn and the first years have an early class up here." James sighed.  
  
"Look at me! I can't go to class like this!" Peter cried, stamping his fat foot and pouting.  
  
"Shut up Peter, you great twat. We all look abnormal so don't stick yourself out on a limb." Sirius spat, quite angry.  
  
"All of you! Listen to me. Madame Pomfrey is sworn to secrecy. She won't tell the student populace that you all look like animals and besides, the teachers don't really mind you being out of class. They hardly ever see you."  
  
"Remus, this is no time to kid around. But I believe that we simply must go to Madame Pomfrey."  
  
"Alright chaps, onward!" James cried, raising his fist in the air.  
  
Laughing at James, Sirius took up the cause and marched behind him, extending his fist to an incoherent beat.  
  
Back at the infirmary, James and Sirius lay awake, the animalistic characteristics dying down.  
  
"So, I take it you spat out your draught for dreamless sleep as well?"  
  
"Yup. Looks like poor little peter was the only one stupid enough to take it."  
  
"Indeed. So, do you really think that Remus'll find the sand?"  
  
"I'm sure Professor Jigger has some in his stock. If not, Professor Malfoy, Professor Waffling, or even Professor Spore would have some."  
  
"True, true. But James, I'm worried. What if we can't revert to our original human states?"  
  
"I've discovered a loophole for that. McGonagall is an Animagus. She just concentrates really hard then she turns into a cat. Now, we just have to think really hard and turn back into humans."  
  
"I don't think its that easy. Otherwise, the ministry wouldn't oversee all the Animagus Transformations."  
  
"It has to be. We all have a patron, remember?"  
  
"Fat lot of good that little statue is going to do us when we're stuck as animals though."  
  
"Well, I suppose that other people don't have patrons and have to do it all on their own. I'll see if we can just call on her to help out when we're in a tight spot."  
  
"I suppose. But we really have to get this thing ironed out. If not, we could die. I read it somewhere."  
  
"I never thought I'd see the day when Sirius Black admitted being scared. Wow, this is one helluva milestone."  
  
"Shut up, James." Sirius smiled, then turned over to his side.  
  
"Aw, Sirius. Don't sulk, I didn't mean it!"  
  
His back still turned, Sirius called over, "Go to sleep James. The antlers will go away, I promise!"  
  
Back in Defense against the Dark Arts Class, Remus took a seat next to Lily and leaned over.  
  
"Thanks for the detergent. It didn't work though. The procedure stopped halfway through, leaving them in half-formed animal shapes."  
  
"Oh dear, is Sirius alright?"  
  
"Sirius? Why are you asking about him?" Remus asked, giving Lily a sidelong glance.  
  
Laughing, Lily punched Remus lightheartedly on the arm.  
  
"Don't look at me like that Remus. I know very well that you and James can take care of yourselves, I don't care very much for Pettigrew, so it just leaves Sirius. He always was the baby of the group. So, did he hurt himself?"  
  
"Not at all. In fact he was busy having a screaming match with James on the roof." They both snickered and laughed out loud. Professor Malfoy stopped his lecture in the middle and looked at the both of them with severe distaste.  
  
"Mr. Lupin. It doesn't become you to be a delinquent. Please report to my office for your detention after class. And please remind Mr. Black that his detention is still pending. His sentence will become heavier because he neglected his duty to attend classes."  
  
"Professor, may I be so bold as to inquire what I did to merit detention?"  
  
"You were deliberately disrupting my lecture. Now, please exit my class so I may continue to lecture in peace."  
  
"Yes sir." Picking up his books, Remus headed for the door.  
  
Walking heavily down the corridor, Remus turned around to hear  
  
"Remus! Remus, wait! I got sent out too! Girl trouble I told him." Lily caught up with Remus and stated walking in stride. "I just really wanted to talk."  
  
"Why Lily, you're turning into a right little miscreant!"  
  
"Well, you spend six years with the Marauders, it tends to rub off on you."  
  
"Marauders? Is that what the general public calls us?"  
  
"Yes. And the teachers and Madame Rosemerta and Hagrid and everybody else."  
  
"Even me?"  
  
"Yes. You, my dear Remus, are the reason of the operation. James is the brain, Sirius is the bulk, and Peter is just to make sure that nothing happens to get any of you hurt."  
  
"Nice. So, I heard you're not with Maximillian anymore. Who's your newest conquest?"  
  
"Haven't decided yet. Either James or Sirius."  
  
"James or Sirius? Don't you know that if you chose either one, it would crush the other?"  
  
"Well, I don't look out for them. They don't need me to. Besides, a little competition is good for them. They have become too courteous for comfort."  
  
"Well, that's another way of looking at it, but you really must take into consideration their feelings!"  
  
"Remus, like I said. I'm not their nanny!"  
  
"Okay, okay. I've gotten your point."  
  
"Look, I'm going to visit the infirmary, you want to come?"  
  
"No, I have to get my detention sentence."  
  
"But you have to tell Sirius about his. Come on Remus, just tag along. For me? Please?"  
  
"I could never resist a woman." Remus said with a smile.  
  
"I thought so."  
  
Approaching the infirmary, Lily and Remus heard screaming and laughing. Dashing out of the infirmary, clothed in blankets and fluffy pink slippers, James and Sirius came running out. Intercepted by Remus, James breathlessly laughed and began a chorus of "hail the conquering hero" and dashed down the corridor, his blanket toga flapping behind him.  
  
"James!" Lily yelled, laughing.  
  
Followed closely by Sirius, James ran about the halls sticking his head into the first year classrooms and yelling.  
  
"Looks like we won't be able to talk to them until they run out of steam." Lily smiled.  
  
"Prepare for a long wait. Those boys are so energetic, I get the funny creepy suspicion that they are hyped up on something."  
  
'It s just being a regular sixteen-year-old boy."  
  
"Well what does that make me?"  
  
"Smart enough to construct togas so that don't fall off." Lily said, pointing up the hallway at a shivering James and Sirius. They were both in the hallway in their boxers and fluffy bunny slippers, walking very jerkily towards Remus and Lily. "Come on, let's meet them halfway."  
  
"Whatever you say."  
  
Nearing the middle, Remus saw that his friends were looking rather cold. Taking off his winter cloak, he fastened it around Sirius and James ducked into the cloak alongside him. Sirius looked like a hunchback with a very bad back problem. Feeling sorry for James, lily took off her winter cloak and handed it over. Since James was taller, the cloak only reached to his knees, but he felt reasonably warmer.  
  
"Should've made your togas durable." Remus said, waggling a finger.  
  
"Stop that, Remus. You're turning into a proper teacher!" Sirius managed to say over the din his chattering teeth were making.  
  
"Speaking of teachers Sirius, Professor Malfoy wants us to go to his office immediately for our detention sentences."  
  
"Our? You got one too?"  
  
"Talking in class. I swear that man is getting more preposterous by the year."  
  
"Indeed. Now, do you suppose you could excuse James and I? We need to dress up, you see."  
  
"By all means." Remus said, sweeping his hand back, allowing them to pass.  
  
Ten minutes later James and Sirius walked out to find Remus sans Lily.  
  
"She had to go back to class. I however, don't feel the need to. Shall we take a walk?"  
  
"No, I'll catch up with you two later. I should get to class." James said, making for the Gryffindor common room.  
  
"I'll bet. He just wants to see Lily."  
  
"Speaking of James and Lily, she might make him her new conquest you know. Her other option is choosing you."  
  
"Me? But I tease her to no end! Is she masochistic or something?"  
  
"Could be. But I think that she just really wants some good natured—"  
  
"—Sex! That's got to be it."  
  
"Sirius!" Remus reprimanded, flashing a sharp look at his companion.  
  
"What? Don't all girls think like that?"  
  
"None that I've met, surely. Oh, Professor Malfoy, we are here, as promised."  
  
"Good, good. Now, Mr. Lupin, you and Mr. Black shall clean out my cupboard and then Mr. Black shall report to Hagrid for the rest of his detention."  
  
"Yes sir." they intoned, both downhearted and gloomy.  
  
Summoning a scrub brush, a duster, and a pail of soapy water apiece, the two of them began pulling out the assorted things and giving them a good clean. Remus was halfway through his side of the cupboard when Sirius nudged him and pointed to the label on one of Professor Malfoy's vials. It read, "Sorcerers sand, highly dangerous and highly valuable. Use as required." Glancing around furtively, Sirius pocketed the vial and continued with his work.  
  
"Sirius, that won't be enough." Remus said, sotto voce.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"We have to make that triangle, remember? Ask Malfoy if you can clean out Professor Jigger's cupboard too."  
  
"Won't he find it odd?"  
  
"That git is too thick to notice anything out of the ordinary. He's just manipulative which makes him come off smart."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"Professor Malfoy?" Sirius asked, tentatively.  
  
"What is it, boy? Can't you see that I have work to be done?"  
  
"Well sir, I was just wondering if I could clean Professor Jigger's cupboard too. It does look a frightful mess and since I'm at it, can I clean up Professor Spore's as well?"  
  
"Yes you may, but keep quiet. I have reports to grade."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Sirius returned to Remus at Malfoy's cupboard.  
  
"If Jigger is still lacking, we can search Spore's."  
  
"Alright. But won't Hagrid get mad that you're late for your earlier scheduled detention?"  
  
"Blame it on Malfoy, I suppose."  
  
Moving onto Professor Jigger's cupboard, Remus and Sirius found a book of potions, which held the recipe for the permanent Animagi spell.  
  
"I don't want to become an animal permanently."  
  
"You won't. It says Animagi spell. Not animal spell. I suppose this is to speed up transformation."  
  
"Is that wise? Remus, what if something goes wrong?"  
  
"Well, did it hurt when you transformed?"  
  
"Very much so. It was like I was growing my leg again."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, last year I fell through a hole in the stair case and broke my leg. Thinking I could fix it myself, I put a spell on it, then all the bones disappeared. I had a rubber leg for two days."  
  
Snorting with glee, Remus buried his head in his arms to keep from distracting Malfoy.  
  
"Shut up, you!" Sirius said, fondly.  
  
"Well, that's done. And we now have a vial and a pint of sorcerer's sand. Highly valuable, my arse."  
  
"Do we really need to clean out Spore's?"  
  
"Just give it a quick dust and then we'll head out to Hagrid's hut, I suppose."  
  
Hearing a noise in the doorway, Remus and Sirius looked up and saw a black figure making its way across the corridor, weaving in and out of the students which seemed to be oblivious to it. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Nope, not yet… still don't own squat.  
  
Authors note: I really don't know how the whole chapter became italicized… another mess up of mine, I suppose. Anyway, it's not a dream sequence or anything, just a glitch. Enjoy the rest, and I hope it doesn't come out in Italics.  
  
P.s. thanks to everyone who's been reviewing regularly. Sorry I've been taking a long time to post, I had exams, but now I'm on summer! :)  
  
Down on the grounds, Rubeus Hagrid was sitting in his cabin, gazing out of the window at the stars. Sighing a deep and grumbly sigh, Hagrid went over to his table and poured some more of a drink into his dirty, rather smudgy glass. The liquid shone like moonlight in his glass, Hagrid remarked. Unable to lift it fully to his tilted head, the great bustly man bent his head down and slurped the liquid from the glass held aloft in his hand.  
  
Suddenly he heard somebody knocking at the door frantically. Getting up to answer the door, Hagrid tripped on his pink umbrella. The aggravated umbrella let out a breath of sparks that caught onto his bedcovers. Hagrid, in his drunken stupor looked at his bed and said'  
  
"What pretty lights…"  
  
Eyes swiveling his head, the gamekeeper moved to the door and opened it with a big "HALLO!" startling the people on the other side.  
  
"Hagrid! We know you missed us but… Hagrid man! Your bed's on fire!"  
  
"What's that?" Hagrid inquired, blearily. He was not going to have some gnatty little first formers ruin his night. "Are ye pulling pranks again, ye little rapscallions?"  
  
"No Hagrid, we're serious. Your bed is on fire. Let us past so we can extinguish it."  
  
"How'd you know me bed was on fire if you didn't cause it, eh?"  
  
"You opened the door and we saw. Please, just let us in!"  
  
"Alri', alri'." Hagrid opened the door wider, but refused to move. Then a wand blast knocked him onto the chair behind and two forms rushed into his house, spurting jets of water out of their wands.  
  
When the thick flames were finally doused, the house smelled like a birthday cake after you blow out the candles. Hagrid's head nodded off and dropped onto his table with a sickening thud. James and Lily flinched and walked as one over to the heaving mass of hair that was Hagrid.  
  
"Hagrid? Hagrid, do wake up. I have to ask you something." Lily whispered in his ear.  
  
Grunting and heaving over, Hagrid looked at his guests and rolled his spit in his mouth. Spitting it onto the floor he asked,  
  
"Wot' chu want then?"  
  
"Hagrid, have either Sirius or Remus come down to your hut tonight?" James asked quietly, not willing to startle the half-giant.  
  
"Well, can't say that I know. You see, Professor Jigger whipped up a batch of some moonshine whiskey and it's awful strong."  
  
"Moonshine whiskey?" Lily looked puzzled.  
  
"Wizard style."  
  
"Wizard style. Professor Jigger really used moonshine then?" James offered, seeing the blank look on Lily's face.  
  
"Yes he did. A good strong batch too. He had to be carried up earlier. He left his bottle.' Hagrid said, clasping the bottle to his chest. "And now it's my whiskey."  
  
"Well, he's obviously no help. Look Lily, I'll find Sirius and Remus, you get to bed." James said, taking her by the shoulders and shaking her gently. "I don't want you falling asleep in class tomorrow."  
  
"How are you going to do that? You can't find them on your own! You'll have a much better chance with me helping me look for them. Now, you can just take me wherever it is you think they are." Lily said smugly, crossing her arms across her chest and smiling.  
  
"Look Lil, it's going to be dangerous. Why don't you stay here with Hagrid and make sure that he doesn't cause too much damage to his hut."  
  
"But—"  
  
"Don't you want to help Hagrid?"  
  
"Stop twisting it around like that James!"  
  
"I'm not! I'm telling you my opinion. Now, I'll pick you up from here when I find them."  
  
"Fine, Fine…" Lily threw her hands up in exasperation. Seeing James' goofy grin, she beckoned him over with her finger and gave a good solid kiss.  
  
"Hurry back now…" she whispered in her best bedroom voice. 'Haha! The sultry siren is in!' she thought with a smile.  
  
Smiling even wider, James stumbled out of the hut and walked toward the castle in a daze. Halfway past the lake, James remembered Sirius and Remus. Hailing a lion that was stalking the grounds; James climbed astride it and whispered in its right ear. "To the common room, lion."  
  
"Lion?" It purred, taking James quite aback.  
  
"Yes please."  
  
"No, no, no. My name is Giuseppe. I am a talking beast." It said in a thick Italian accent  
  
"Well Giuseppe, do you think you can deliver me to the common room, post haste?" James said, quite annoyed at having to be delayed because of semantics.  
  
"Certainly." Giuseppe said, taking great bounding leaps towards the castle. Reaching the carpeted area, his paws made no noise as he padded on the red carpets.  
  
Disembarking at the portal, James asked Giuseppe, 'Is there any fare that I have to pay?"  
  
"None. Just find Sirius and Remus and bring them back safely."  
  
"Alright." Ducking into the portal, James did a double take as he realized that he never mentioned that his friends were missing. Rummaging into his trunk, he found the map and scanned it for any sign of his friends. Seeing them in the prefect's bathroom, he grabbed his invisibility cloak and ran out.  
  
"Cosmydor."  
  
"Beware the—"  
  
"Thanks Swan, I get it. The smelly shall not traverse."  
  
Swinging the tapestry over, James stepped inside to find Remus and Sirius fast asleep, clutching their wands.  
  
Whispering "animato!" James woke the both of them up with his magic so they would not be startled.  
  
"James! What are you doing here?"  
  
"Well, you two never came back to the common room, so I got worried."  
  
"Well, we had something to take care of, is all." Remus said, getting up and dusting his robes.  
  
"Something more important than your detention? I asked Malfoy were you could possibly be and he said the two of you were serving detention with Hagrid. We found him drunk, you know." James said as he pulled Sirius up.  
  
"We?" Sirius asked, cocking his head to one side and giving James a sidelong glance.  
  
Blushing noticeably James managed to say "Lily."  
  
"Ah, Lily. Interesting. While you were off having the snog of your life, Remus and I were discussing something very important amongst us. We have a lot of sorcerer's sand, so we have no real trouble there. Now, what had us shacked up in the prefect's bathroom is really very important. Remember, we all have a patron?"  
  
"Yeah, she's right he—" James placed his hand where the statue should be and it ran through air. Looking down, he saw the shards of the statue scattered on the floor.  
  
"Well, not anymore, obviously. What happened to her?" James asked, frowning.  
  
"She escaped, knocked down by something or another."  
  
"Is that such a problem?"  
  
"Well, do you want to become an animagus?"  
  
'Of course!"  
  
"Well she won't give you the chance. You are to be her next stag."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Remember the statue, she had a dead stag at her feet?"  
  
"YEAH, SO?" James bellowed, exasperated with Sirius' cryptic answers.  
  
"You are to become that stag, James unless you can rise up to her challenge."  
  
"What is the challenge?"  
  
"You'll have to find her."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"No, find her then ask her what you have to do." Walking into the common room, they found Peter crouched in a corner, quaking and shivering. Above him hovered a black smoky shape that resembled the statue. It was brandishing a knife and repeating over and over again, "Rat, rat, rat."  
  
"Stop, you!" James yelled, brandishing his wand. Whirling around, the huntress advanced on him, stopping a few feet away.  
  
"I helped you, my Stag. Now, you must help me. I cannot roam around forever. If my patrons are not named before midnight, I shall dissolve. You shall not be a proper animagus, and you, wolfling, will not survive." She pointed to Remus as she spoke the last few words.  
  
"That's it? That's why you're terrorizing my friends? Because we must be named?"  
  
"Yes. The hour draws near, my stag."  
  
"Um, okay. Peter is Wormtail." Sirius stifled a laugh and Remus poked him in the ribs. 'Befits the little rat.' Sirius whispered to Remus, bringing forth laughter from the serious little boy. Peter swelled up and crossed the room, eager to hear what was being said about him. When he reached the two, Wormtail gave a shrill screech and fell to the floor. Bending down to see to him properly, Remus and Sirius noted that he was taking on the rat characteristics he exhibited in the tower. Upon closer inspection, it was found that Wormtail had not changed outwardly, but was all the more cunning in his choice of actions. He glanced covertly around and quickly got his feet, his face ever twitching, as if scared to miss anything.  
  
"Next, um… Sirius shall be…"  
  
"James!" Sirius warned, his voice rising.  
  
"Sirius Black, I dub thee Padfoot."  
  
Laughing Sirius stood his ground and his face because broader and less complex, but when he reverted to his original state, Remus and James noticed that he had a twinkle in his eye that he didn't have before.  
  
"Lastly, I dub myself—"  
  
"—Prongs!" Remus and Sirius yelled in unison, smiling widely.  
  
"Prongs." James confirmed, turning to the shadow before him. His appearance did not change, but his demeanor did. He exuded an air of majesty, giving off the feeling like you were in a strict library. Acting serious however, was not his forte, so he quickly stifled the majesty that arose, and asked very loosely, "Is that all?"  
  
"Name the one you must save, or forever overlook his face!"  
  
"I name him Moony, for his—"  
  
"Really big arse!" Sirius yelled, poking Remus in the ribs.  
  
"That is sufficient." The shadow smiled and bowed, leaving stardust in her wake.  
  
"That was so cliché." Wormtail piped up.  
  
"Hush Peter. Nobody asked you what you thought." Remus reprimanded sharply.  
  
"Well, now I'm a Marauder, all of you are entitled to listen to me."  
  
"Not when we don't want to. Now, Sirius, Remus, I have a problem concerning the Marauder's map."  
  
"The what?" asked Remus, at al loss as to what James was talking about.  
  
"The map that we found in the cave under the common room. Since the general public calls us the marauders, this is our marauders map. We have to enchant it so that teachers don't find it and use it against us."  
  
"Catchy title." Sirius remarked, laughing slightly.  
  
"I know! It just clicked! So, how do we enchant?"  
  
"Well, as far as I'm sure, we have to put a concealment spell on it."  
  
"How? We haven't learned it any of our classes, and I don't want to spend the rest of my sixth year looking through a book to help me along. We've already wasted too much time."  
  
"I know how," said Peter, glancing at them one by one.  
  
"It figures," Sirius said under his breath "you'd need something like it to save your sorry little rat's ass. Forgive the pun, Remus."  
  
"I can hear you, Sirius. I don't mean any harm, I hope you had forgotten that I used to be a weakling. Now I have a special talent, just like you. I'm on par with everyone else in this room now, so I have no need to be scared. Please, accept my friendship?"  
  
"You were always our friend, Peter. We just didn't trust you too much." James smiled, extending his hand. Shaking it firmly, Peter smiled back saying that he bore no ill will.  
  
"Yes Peter. I suppose that's it." Remus smiled, still reserved, he did not extend his hand.  
  
"Well Sirius? Are you willing to make peace with me?"  
  
"I was never at war with you, Peter. I just didn't like you too much." Sirius gave him a tight grin and walked over to the fireplace. Staring into the dying embers, he asked James, "so, do you think we should do the spell now? Or wait until we can really call ourselves Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs?"  
  
"I think that the map is too valuable to leave unguarded. We should trust Peter on this, we really should." James bowed his head in thought, unable to say otherwise.  
  
"Why don't we ask Arthur?" Sirius asked, his eyes lighting up. "He's a very competent intern, and we can readily find him, with help from our map."  
  
"That's a whole lot safer than what you're proposing, Peter." Remus mentioned.  
  
"Then I agree to help find him." Peter said amiably, smiling.  
  
Pulling out the map, James scanned the classrooms and offices, looking for a sign of Arthur Weasley. Seeing him in the infirmary, James dashed off towards Arthur.  
  
"Arthur, Arthur, Arthur! We need your help!" he called breathlessly, coming to the infirmary. Seeing Arthur cradling an eight-year-old boy in his arms and being yelled at by a very attractive woman who looked remarkably like a sabre-toothed tiger, James did a quick tailspin and withdrawing to the waiting area, just to collide with his friends who ran after him in a clump.  
  
"Family moment, mustn't disturb." James said jovially.  
  
"But we have a problem!" Sirius whined, unable to accept the fact that he was not the most important thing at hand.  
  
"I'm sure Arthur has one of his own. He was being yelled at by somebody."  
  
"Who?" Sirius asked, suspiciously.  
  
"Wife, sister, girlfriend, neighbor. Could be anyone, really." Remus offered, his hand on his chin.  
  
"Be quiet, you!" Sirius yelled  
  
"Just offering some help!"  
  
"Ah boys, so sorry to keep you waiting. This is Molly, my wife. We heard you debating about us and we decided you were quite distressed. Oh and this is my son, Drake. Bill for short."  
  
"Bill? We didn't follow that…"  
  
"Well, a drake is a form of duck, correct?"  
  
"Well yes, but how did you arrive at Bill from Drake?" asked Sirius, quite interested.  
  
"A duck's bill." Remus said, amused immensely by the name. "How cryptic of you Arthur!"  
  
"Well, it was Molly's idea." He blushed, hugging his son tighter.  
  
"Any more children with names that we should know about?"  
  
"Well, there's one on the way, apparently. Molly came to Hogwarts to tell me."  
  
"Yes. Another boy." She beamed, quite proud of her husband.  
  
"Oh congratulations!" the four of them intoned. Sirius asked then,  
  
"What are you going to call him?"  
  
"We decided on Chaplain." Molly said proudly.  
  
"Hey! You could call him Charlie for short!" Sirius said, leaning in to pat Molly's rather nonexistent tummy.  
  
"How'd you arrive there?" asked Arthur, quite puzzled.  
  
"Chaplain is a homonym for Chaplin. Charlie Chaplin? Ring a bell?" Sirius asked, looking at Arthur like he had asked something stupid. Considering it was Sirius he was talking to, Arthur deemed he had.  
  
"Alright it's settled. Charlie Sirius Weasley." Molly smiled.  
  
"Anyway, Arthur, we have a problem we think you can solve." James said, offering his arm to Molly to help her sit down. "Thank you dear." She said as she took a seat and looked up at the five of them.  
  
"Go on, I'm listening."  
  
"Well Sirius and I found this map of Hogwarts and it tells us the location of everybody and the passwords of things."  
  
"Oh boys, that's not something you should be toying with. Never trust something that can think for itself if you can't see its brain."  
  
"But we don't want to give it to just anybody. We need a concealment spell so that only we can use it, therefore not getting anybody else into trouble." Peter said, trying to convince Arthur.  
  
"That seems rather small minded, considering what this map shows." Arthur said, carefully.  
  
"But we don' want to endanger anybody. We know its threats, so we can't be pulled in by its threat."  
  
"What threat?"  
  
"It tells students how to get out of the Hogwarts vicinity."  
  
"Are you sure that's all?"  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
"Alright. James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, I'm giving this to you on strict confidence that you don't use this map for commercial gain or to endanger the lives of any here in Hogwarts."  
  
Nodding solemnly, the four swore they wouldn't. Arthur held out a piece of parchment with miniscule writing on it.  
  
"this is a concealment spell. Place it on what you wish to hide and say whom it must open for. Say the password while touching your wands to it."  
  
"thank you Arthur." They all said.  
  
In the library, Remus had put the finishing touches on the spell, making it impossible to enter without the appropriate password.  
  
"Sirius, keep your wand to yourself, its not wanted here!"  
  
"but I solemnley swear I am up to no good!" Sirius said, as his wand touched the map. Suddenly, the map glowed and said, "Mr. Padfoot is welcome."  
  
"Wicked!"  
  
James did the same thing, so did Remus and Peter. The map welcomed them and let them view the grounds once more.  
  
"wipe it clean, Remus! I want to see if it works for other people."  
  
"I don't know how!"  
  
"I have an idea!" James chirruped, glad to help. "mischief managed." He said, and the map was wiped clean.  
  
"how did you do that?"  
  
"Well, I improvised, just like Padfoot here."  
  
"well Prongs, shall we get on with the ceremony then?"  
  
"what?"  
  
"We need to transform soon."  
  
"lets test it first."  
  
Bringing the parchment to Lily, James asked her.  
  
"what do you see?"  
  
"parchment."  
  
"I know, but we all have a feeling that it's hiding something."  
  
"Well, we'll soon find that out."  
  
Whipping her wand out, Lily tapped it on the parchment and said,  
  
" I, Lily Evans, a student at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry command you to show yourself."  
  
Writing appeared on the parchment, saying,  
  
"Mr. Prongs greets Lily and thanks her for last night."  
  
"Mr. Padfoot wishes he had partaken in the festivities observed by Mr. Prongs and Ms Evans."  
  
"Mr. Moony wishes not to offend the pretty lady with a very nice wand."  
  
"Mr. Wormtail hopes that Mr. Prongs will agree to share the lady's company with him." 


End file.
